The iPod upgrade scene has a new attempt to cram several popular mods into one package. Sprout Pi and Sprout Pico are replacement motherboards for select older iPods, adding Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, a microSD card slot and FLAC playback. The project says installation requires no soldering—a welcome concession to anyone who finds opening a decades-old music player an exciting way to discover new and expensive problems.
Both boards support audio through the original 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as over USB for wired headsets. Bluetooth lets owners pair wireless headphones, including AirPods, or a Bluetooth speaker. Wi-Fi brings Google Cast and AirPlay streaming, along with podcast downloads. In other words, a device built for carrying music around can pick up some of the conveniences of a modern player without immediately requiring a screen full of notifications.
Sprout Pi, the higher-end version, goes further with Spotify and Apple Music streaming support and apps. That is a curious addition to a project aimed at keeping old iPods relevant. One reason people have returned to iPods, as The Verge notes, is that they offer a way to listen without being nudged by algorithms or distracted by the rest of a smartphone. Putting streaming services and apps on the player may be useful; it also risks rebuilding the very digital clutter some owners are trying to escape. The feature list, at least, leaves that choice to the user.
There is an obvious limitation: Sprout Pi is listed as compatible only with third- and fourth-generation iPods and the iPod mini. That rules out plenty of other models, and means prospective buyers will need to check exactly what they own before getting swept up in the romance of resurrecting old hardware. The boards are full motherboard replacements, not a universal accessory you can plug into any iPod and call the future.
Even without soldering, installation still involves opening the player, which the project’s description acknowledges can be intimidating. That matters. A no-solder upgrade lowers one barrier, but it does not turn a delicate electronics project into a routine software update. People considering one should wait for clear installation guidance and confirm their model is supported before cracking open a device they care about.
The project plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign soon through Crowd Supply. It has not announced a price, and the source report does not provide a campaign date. That leaves some important questions unanswered: what the boards will cost, when they might ship, and how straightforward the installation will be in practice. Those are not small details when the project’s appeal depends on turning aging hardware into something people can use again.
Still, combining wireless audio, streaming options, USB-C and FLAC support in replacement boards is an appealing idea—especially for owners who prefer a dedicated music player to a phone that is forever volunteering to show them something else. The trick will be making the upgrade as practical as its feature list. The iPod is getting a second act; it would be a shame if the encore came with a crowdfunding-sized asterisk.
Sources: Glitch Please! and The Verge — https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/1011266/sprout-pi-adds-bluetooth-streaming-and-usb-c-to-your-aging-ipod — Reporting by Terrence O’Brien
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